


When David Frays

by Magical_Persona



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: AU, serial killer david
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-19
Updated: 2017-07-19
Packaged: 2018-12-04 05:19:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11548293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magical_Persona/pseuds/Magical_Persona
Summary: David is still a counselor at Camp Campbell, but what happens when he feels his happy-go-lucky demeanor slipping? Where does he sneak off to in the middle of the night about once a week? Has David finally snapped? And is it Max's fault? These are the questions Max wants answers to in this short story, but he may get more than he bargained for.This is a serial killer David au.





	1. Chapter 1

The night air was thick with the tangy smell of copper as David stood, hunched over one of the rivers that ran along the camp. He was close by should something happen, but not too close. The last thing he wanted right now was to be too close should one of the campers be up.

He remembered the one night he’d almost been caught by Nerris. He swore the girl could hear an owl flying in her sleep. Since then he had learned to steer clear of the tent Nikki and Nerris shared, because once Nerris was up so was Nikki and it was almost impossible to get Nikki back to sleep after that.

David smiled as he watched streams of blood fade out into the water under the moonlit sky. He could see his reflection, paled and not entirely accurate, but still there. He could see the flecks of blood from his kill clinging to his cheeks. Shaded the way they were his normally cheerful eyes seemed haunting and cold. Nothing like what the campers had come to associate with the redheaded councilor.

He looked down at the apron soaking in the water. The blood was almost out completely, what he was more concerned about was the green shirt he was wearing. He might have gotten a little carried away with this last kill. It had just been so much fun! He couldn’t help it. Before he had been able to register what was happening he’d made a mess of himself and his hunting knife.

David pulled his shirt off, revealing a pale chest with barely a hint of tone. He was thin, almost too thin, but his size didn’t prevent him from bringing down people twice his size or more. He worked the stains out of his shirt. It was a slow process, but he couldn’t risk being quick and not getting all of the stains out. Or worse, waking the campers.

Once he was certain all of the stains were out of his shirt he pulled the sopping wet article of clothing over his head. Now he just had to wash his shoes and the knife. The knife he always washed last, but his shoes took three seconds, maybe even less, to clean. It was the knife he took his time with. He couldn’t let the blade dull, but more importantly in the way he cleaned the blade was almost ritualistic.

He was enthralled by his knife. It was both a friend and an enemy. One day, David had no doubt, this knife would turn on him. It would give the police every bit of evidence they needed to destroy him, put him away for good. Until then, David would keep the thing at his side, where it belonged. He ran his finger down the flat of the blade lovingly. This was his weapon of choice.

Guns weren’t nearly as fun. They were so loud and they drew so much attention. There was nothing personal about it. It wasn’t like the grappling, tangled mess of sweat, tears, and blood that a knife fight was. That was personal. You could see the fear in your opponent’s eyes, almost her their heart beating faster when they realized they weren’t going to make it. You could see it, in all of their features, that exact second. Knowing that there would always be people who would let him close because he was smiling bag of love made it all the more enjoyable.

People tended to drop their guard around him. They let him get close enough so many times, but he always waited. He waited in the shadows, a snake ready to strike. There was a perfect time for everything and once that time arose he snapped. He would dig into their ribs, stab any place he could get to, it was a fury of screams and scrambling.

It was in those times of chaos everything was perfectly clear to him. The adrenaline he rarely felt anymore, the feeling of power he needed to get through the next week. That where it came from. Even now as he thought back to his kill he could feel the weight of the world lessen from his shoulders. He was stronger now, he had proved it to himself. He could take on whatever challenges this week had to offer.

“David?” The voice was tired and confused, placed at just the right tone to snap David out of his musings as he walked.

“Max, it’s late,” David said gently. He wasn’t worried about getting caught. Not at the moment, he was clean and his knife was tucked away in its sheath. “You should be sleeping. We have a day full of activities planned tomorrow. You’ll need your rest. What are you doing up so late anyway?”

“I can ask you the same question,” Max snapped, burying himself in his blue hoodie. His green eyes glared up at David. Max was exhausted, but not stupid. David’s shirt was soaked, but the rest of him seemed fairly dry. What the hell had he been up to. Plus, there was that knife.

“I was checking on you campers,” David replied, ruffling Max’s hair. “You know the drill. Back to bed with you.” David turned back toward the tents, dragging Max along with him. “What were you doing near the Quarter Master Store?”

“Why does it look like you fell in the river?” Max replied.

David only smiled down at him. Max found a smile that bright sickening. There was no way someone like David could possibly exist. He had to have some kind of anger outlet. This was David, there was no way the guy liked camping so much his break from the camp was more camping.

The entire walk, Max glared up at David, but the councilor seemed unaffected. David was being his usual jolly self. He would have been skipping, but he didn’t want to leave Max’s side. When they neared Max’s tent David pushed the young camper forward.

“Off to bed, Max,” David whispered cheerily.

Max grumbled, but he accepted his fate with dignity. Something was definitely up and he was going to get to the bottom of it. As he ducked under the tent flap he stifled a yawn. Tomorrow, he was going to get to it tomorrow with Neil and Nikki.

David, on the other hand, was skipping back to camp. He wasn’t an idiot, he knew Max had some suspicions rattling around in that little head of his, but that wouldn’t be a problem. Max had been suspicious of him for a while now.

When he stepped into the councilor cabin Gwen looked up from the book she was reading.

“What happened?” She asked, only half interested.

“I fell into the river and Max was wandering around again,” David explained as he changed his shirt. The green shirt sloshed when it hit the ground. David was just happy to be in dry clothes again. It was so much nicer than being wet and cold.

Gwen made a noise before returning her attention to her book. It was probably one of those vampire romances she liked to read.

David had intended on staying up a bit later, but as soon as his head hit the pillow he was out. He didn’t wake up until just before sunrise. It was normal for him to wake up at about this time. It was part of his schedule.

He went through his normal routine, waking Gwen up with his cheerful face and then waking the campers. The campers were so much easier to wake up than Gwen. Sure, they rolled out of bed grumpily, but at least they rolled out of bed. Most days Gwen had to be pulled from the bed and then immediately given a cup of coffee.

Max and Preston were the last two out of their tents. Nikki, as usually, was one of the first. She ran off toward the mess hall and David knew she wouldn’t be slowing down until night time.

 

By ten in the morning everyone had a backpack strapped to them and they were off on an adventure with David leading them and Gwen bringing up the rear.

Neil, Max, and Nikki were closer to the back whispering amongst themselves.

“I’m telling you guys something is up with him,” Max hissed. “I know he’s hiding something, but how do we get him to come clean?”

“It’s David,” Neil pointed out, clearly unamused by the surrounding nature. “I’m pretty sure you could accuse him of a crime he didn’t commit and he’d take the fall.”

Max shook his head. It wasn’t that he didn’t agree with Neil, on anything else that probably would have worked, but this was something different. David had already shown that he at least had a basic understanding of the world. While he could be a moron at times Max was pretty sure David would keep this secret for as long as he could.

“I could always bite him again,” Nikki offered, “Remind him who’s in charge and then make him answer your questions.”

“As much as I would like to see David cry I think we have to take a different approach,” Max replied. His face turned into a scowl as he tried to think of something, anything that they could use against David. The problem was it wasn’t like they could embarrass him. David had no shame.

“You said he was out a night, right?” Nikki asked. “Why don’t you just follow him around? See where he goes? Or at least when he leaves camp wait until he comes back. That’s what my dad did when he thought Mom was cheating on him. Again.”

“And then we’ll give him the third degree,” Max said with a nod. He knew there was a reason he kept the self-proclaimed agent of chaos around.

“We’re gonna burn him!” Nikki exclaimed excitedly.

Max was willing to amend his statement now. Maybe the reason he kept Nikki around was because he couldn’t get rid of her. Of course, he’d be lying to himself if he actually believed it. He kept Nikki and Neil around because those two knew what they were doing. He could use them. Neil knew everything there was to know about computers and

“We’re going to ask him questions,” Neil corrected.

“Oh,” Nikki was clearly disappointed. “Well, we can do that too.”

“We’ll split the night into three shifts,” Max reasoned. “We’re on this stupid hike for three days. We should be able to find something. I’ll take the first shift, Neil can take the second and then Nikki can take the last one.” That would be the best course of action. Nikki was the only one with enough energy to be able to stay up for three or four hours only to hike all day.

David jumped excitedly, even from where the three of them stood in the small line they could see him. “We’ll set up camp here for the night! This is the perfect spot because of the running water and flat land. Remember that campers. If you ever get lost in the woods look for running water before you look for shelter. Then you look for a good place to build a shelter. Only after you have shelter do you look for food.”

David clapped as the entirety of the group finally gathered around the redheaded councilor. “Now, first we’re going to build up a small layer between us and the ground. We didn’t bring tents so we’re going to need a group of you to go with Gwen to look for sticks and logs that we can use for a wall. We’re going to be building a lean-to. Everyone else will stay here with me and set up a fire ring and a protective layer.”

Max picked up the nearest stick, slapping it against the open palm of his hand. “We’ll hang around here with David.”

He and Neil watched while the rest of the campers, or at least the ones who stayed behind, helped David. Nikki even seemed content to dig around in the forest for rocks and sticks they could use for their fire pit.

 

The three days went by with little to no events. Max’s annoyance was building, but there was nothing he could do. He was pretty sure he couldn’t just straight up ask David what he had been doing that night. Something was up and none of them had seen David leave the camp site since their hike had started.

At the end of the third day, just as the sun was setting, they made it back to camp. Max was annoyed, his scowl only growing darker as they ate a later dinner in the mess hall.

 

That night after, David had sent the campers to bed before heading out to do his own thing. It was almost like an addiction for him. He could feel when he hadn’t had that thrill. He needed it. He needed the thrill of the hunt and the feeling of killing. His hands itched. He wanted to grapple with someone for his life. More than that. He needed it.

There were only a few hiking trails that led from the camp to the outside. Hopefully, there would be someone on the trails. He’d seen a jogger going through and there were a few campers when he had taken his youngans out. There were people out there, David just had to find them.

It didn’t take him long. He was walking along one of the best trails his apron on and the knife weighing down his belt. It was comforting to know no matter what even walking with his supplies made him feel just a bit better.

When he found the small camp he’d seen earlier there was still only one person there. He smiled. This would be the perfect place. No one would suspect him of working through his stress here. Once he was done he would have the strength to force his way through the next week. It was getting harder. To make it through.

What would happen when he couldn’t take it anymore? What then? Would he have to keep sneaking off to kill someone every night? He didn’t want to put that kind of stress on Gwen. One night a week was bad enough, but if he didn’t do this…something worse might happen. He might lose it with one of the campers. Or even worse he might collapse into a ball of tears and break down.

David fell to the ground. Crying out for help, he sounded pathetic, but it suited him at this point. He could feel himself slipping. Letting that part of him that he needed take over. The part of him that knew killing was the only way to make him ready. The only way for him to feel human again.

It was a man that came to help him. He helped David up and they had a semi pleasant conversation. He led David back to his fire where they talked for a bit longer and the was when David took his chance.

The man had been leaning down to check on David’s leg. After all, David had told him he twisted an ankle. When the man wasn’t paying attention, David drove the knife into the back of the man’s head.

The blade didn’t stick, it hardly went through the bone, but it wasn’t meant to. The man tossed David to the ground as he flailed in fear. David felt his heart race, this was it. This was what he had been missing. The rush of fear along with the overwhelming desire to maim, injure, and kill.

He grappled with the man. Blood from the back of the man’s head dripping onto his apron. This was his favorite part. Being under his kill, letting them think they’d won. Just when they lowered their guard he turned the tables.

David effortlessly flipped the two of them to he was putting all of his weight on the man’s chest. He many have been small, but just sitting there he was making it difficult for the already out of breath man to breathe.

David raised his knife, dragging it along the man’s chin.

“I’m going to be the last thing you see,” David’s voice was silky, all of the normal energy gone. Replaced by a gentle, almost lullaby like softness. “You’re going to help me. I’m going to be stronger and it’s all thanks to you.”

Carefully, David carved into the man. The blood splattered onto his apron and his shoes, but he was more careful with his shirt this time. He couldn’t risk getting blood on another one. The man screamed in pain, trying to throw David off, but to no avail.

David couldn’t exactly remember when the man stopped screaming, to lay there whimpering in puddles of his own blood. It was definitely after the blade had grown sticky. After that David only carved delicate patterns into the man’s skin. There were swirls and different flower patterns. It calmed him, watching the blood well up into the cuts before he stabbed at the middle of the pattern, digging the blade in and twisting it.

He wasn’t sure how long he sat atop the man, carving him up. At the moment that was all that mattered. He felt better now, more relaxed. He stepped off the lifeless body, which had stopped breathing hours ago.

David looked up at the sky. He knew his hands were covered in blood and there were trails of the man’s blood drying on his face, but he felt relaxed. In that moment, he felt as though everything in the world was perfect. He could go back to camp and continue on. This random stranger meant nothing to him. It had been no more than a farmer picking the best cow. It was pleasing to know he had the capability to protect himself should he need it, but also the ability to kill.

He left the campsite, along with the body. He hadn’t left any evidence of himself. If he had it would be washed away in the dirt long before anyone noticed this guy was missing. Now, to get back to camp before anyone noticed he had been gone for this long.

His trek back to camp seemed to be shorter than the one out here, but he didn’t mind. As he made his way back it felt like he’d been floating on air the entire time. It was a beautiful feeling.

David once again found himself kneeling in the mud of the river once again. What he hadn’t expected was the loud voice in the background.

“I fucking knew it!” Max snapped. “You’re a murderer!”

“Max?” David’s head whipped around in surprise. Max had caught him, but it was Max.

Max’s eyes were wide and he looked pale. His eyes were more focused on David’s knife than anything else. This was how he died. It obviously wouldn’t be the first time David killed someone. He was going to die. Like this, at this stupid camp. Max forced his fears down. It wasn’t like anyone would care. “Well, I guess this is how I die.”

“Max, how could you say something like that?” David asked. “I would never hurt one of you campers. You’re a part of my Camp Campbell family.”

“Wow,” Max muttered. “Even covered in blood you’re still a fucking sap.”

David couldn’t stop himself from letting out a small laugh. It was his normal laugh, rich and full of life.

That little bit of normalcy in this entire mess eased Max’s panic. So, at least David didn’t go all creepy killer on him. Killer or not, David was still the stupid camp counselor Max had always known.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David explains to Max how he got into the business of killing.

It had been a few days and nothing between David and Max had changed. Maybe the first day Max had been a little cautious, only throwing in the occasional ‘you’re a moron’ but that got old and the two quickly fell back into old habits.

Of course, Max had told Neil the same night he found out. He had asked Neil to help so it was only fair that he share what he had learned. Then the next morning they told Nikki. Nikki seemed more surprised than Neil had been, which Max thought was odd, but this was Nikki. Everything about her was odd.

The three of them kept it between themselves. Max didn’t care, he’d already figured David was a killer. The guy was just way too happy all the time.

Neil shied away from David longer than the other two. He liked to call it safety first, but eventually even he realized this was David they were talking about. He seemed more hurt than anything when Neil had taken more than the usual step back.

Nikki didn’t seem to care at all. In her mind, she had already shown David who the boss was on day one. She knew he wouldn’t hurt her, David was too passive and she was rowdy. Plus, that just made David a little bit cooler in her mind. She’d never expected David to have it in him. Now that she knew he did, well, she allowed him to move above Space Kid in the pecking order she was forming.

Despite their individual thoughts, they had agreed to keep it a secret between the three of them. David may have been a moron and a killer, but they had already seen firsthand there were worse counselors out there. If they let slip to Gwen or one of the other camper’s parents found out then they might have an even worse counselor than David. They could very well have another Jen or heaven forbid another Daniel.

They may have allowed the matter to settle there was something that bothered Max. What had gotten David into killing? Had he been the one to push too far? It wasn’t like he cared or anything it was just something he wanted to know. Which meant Max was going to take it upon himself to find out.

It was after dinner when he cornered David. The counselor had been cleaning the windows in the dining hall after their latest food fight.

“What got you into the whole, killing people business?” Max asked, leaning against the wall. He wasn’t going to work, he was just here to ask questions. He had to make sure David knew that.

“Why do you ask?” David wondered, his voice didn’t leave the pleasant pitch it usually held and Max couldn’t decide if he was grateful or freaked out.

“There has to be a reason,” Max said. “People don’t just do stuff like that. They snap. Something inside them breaks. Did I?”

At first David had been curious to see where this was going. Now that he knew he laughed. Sweet, naïve Max thought this was his fault. It was just like Max to take someone’s problems and blame himself for them.

“What’s so funny?” Max snapped. He was pretty sure if there was a time to be laughing this wasn’t it.

“Nothing, nothing,” David said as he regained his composure. “It’s nothing you did, Max. Though it is cute of you to think so.” He looked around to make sure no one else was in the mess hall when he spoke. “Max, I’ve been doing this for a long time. You’re right, of course, people don’t just start killing things. Sometimes the first time is an accident, sometimes it’s a way to get rid of unwanted anger.” He handed a wash rag to Max.

“For you?” Max prompted, looking at the wash rag in disgust. There was no way of knowing where the water had been that it had come from. Even worse, what the wash rag had been used to clean. The Quarter Master was not someone who could be trusted to keep things clean.

“An accident,” David admitted. “My sister loved being out in the woods, and as a kid I hated it. Everything about it, but she dragged me along every time. She liked looking for shed antlers and we were out one day, searching the woods. I came across a baby raccoon.” Within a split second he went from his ‘telling a story voice’ to his ‘counselor voice’. “Which you should never touch because they harbor many different diseases. Anyway, I found this raccoon and it was so helpless when I went to pick it up I’m not entirely sure what I did. Maybe I held it too tightly or maybe I just moved it too roughly, but it’s neck snapped. At first, I was sad, I couldn’t figure out why it had died, but then I felt powerful.” David looked out the window sadly. “You might find this hard to believe, but I wasn’t well liked in school. Kids hated me, I made a perfect punching bag for them.”

Max snorted, that was not hard to believe, but if David wanted to think it was who was he to stop him?

“This raccoon, it made me feel better. Knowing I had the power to do the same thing the kids at school were doing,” David said. “I could make myself feel like I had power. I never did turn on those kids, but every once in a while, I’d go out into the forest and take my anger out on animals. I started small, but then I needed to find larger animals. The smaller ones didn’t bring the same thrill. I guess it took me a few years, but eventually, I worked my way up to people. Never kids though, I have standards. Adults are already set in their ways, but children can change. Plus, there’s not thrill there. No hunt.” David shook his head, watching as Max cleaned the window beside him.

Max was only slightly terrified. He’d expected something like that. “I could put up a fight. You’re not going to come after me next, are you?”

David gave Max an amused smile. “I was a lot like you once, Max.”

“Are you trying to tell me I should become a serial killer?” Max asked, clearly unamused.

David gave a small laugh and shook his head. “I’m trying to tell you that I know you are capable of so much. I don’t want you to walk down the same path I did. You are so much more than what you see yourself as. Let people in. You have two good friends who want to be there for you. Let them.”

Max shook his head as he scrubbed at a stain on the window. David had no idea what he was talking about. They spent the next thirty minutes in companionable silence as they cleaned. By the time Max realized David had conned him into cleaning the room was as spotless as could be expected.

As David picked dumped the dirty water down the drain he smiled. It may have been too late for him, but if he could save even one of his campers, maybe it was worth it. Especially, if he could save Max.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm still getting the hang of writing more emotional and in depth fighting scenes so tips or constructive criticism are welcome.


End file.
